Obsidian
by lyart
Summary: This was ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous, and Jay was never, ever going to forget this. Oneshot collection, Moses x Jay.
1. I sable

**Obsidian  
Summary:** It was eventual—it'd happen sooner or later. Turns out that it happened sooner rather than later. Jay wasn't sure if he was pleased or disgruntled by this strange turn of events, and decided to just go with the flow. For the moment.  
**Pairings:** JayMoses  
**Rating:** PG-13/T just to be safe for future chapters  
**Chapters:** Undecided…as many as I want! oh, by the way, the stories are all one-shots, so don't group them together; I'll indicate whether or not they are connected to a previous one-shot  
**Disclaimer:** If Tales of Legendia was mine, there'd be so much change you wouldn't even recognize it afterwards. So there.

* * *

**I.** **sable**

Rain poured down from the sky outside, spattering the windowpane, and Jay could hear the faint ripple of thunder some distance away, getting closer every minute. Every few minutes, the room was illuminated in a flash of light from the lightning no doubt splitting the sky. He couldn't sleep, and it wasn't just because of the snores coming from the bed across from his. Will and Senel didn't seem to mind the bandit's snoring, and were sleeping soundly in their own beds. The only reason they were all bunking in this inn was because Will had dragged them out on a "wild-monster-chase", as Norma fondly called it. _Apparently_, the 'sheriff' had been told of a rare monster brooding around these parts, and of course, 'Teach' had to go check it out (the thought of a rare specimen nearly sent him into a fit of glee, giggles and all).

The girls of their group of eight were bunking in the other inn room they had rented, as Norma had declared when they arrived in the small town set in the middle of nowhere, "No boys are staying in _our_ room—you get your own! You might decide to get _naughty_ while we're sleeping and we can't allow that, oh no, no, no!" Chloe and Shirley had agreed with the former casting a dark gaze over all of them, as if they were all perverted scum, and Grune merely smiling in that _way_ of hers.

Of course, Jay wouldn't put it past Moses to do something "naughty", as Norma had said, but he himself wouldn't ever do that. It wasn't as if he was really that interested in any of the girls in their group, after all—he felt no stirrings of romantic affection when he looked at them, nor did he desire to be alone with any of them for any extended period of time. He told this to Moses one time, and received an annoyed huff from Moses along with a comment like "And you call yourself a man?"

'_Bah, Moses is enough of a 'man' for all of us, with the way he acts,'_ Jay thought with distaste, and sat up in his bed as a powerful rumble of thunder seemed to tremble through the room. There was an alarmed sound from the other side of the room, and the small information specialist hardly even realized what happened when someone shot under the blankets of his bed next to him, latching familiar muscular, tanned arms around his middle.

"Moses! What—"

"Shh! Don't wake up the others. Just let your big brother stay here for tonight, yeah?" Moses' voice sounded oddly high-pitched, as if he were afraid of something, and Jay narrowed his eyes. He remembered a certain episode in the Thunder Monument where Moses had hugged Senel tightly after a threatening burst of thunder. He pushed the man's arms away, rolling his violet eyes, though he doubted the other could see it in the dark.

"Oh, bother…whatever. Just don't cling to me or snore, stupid bandit," Jay huffed and lay back down, turning his back to the red-haired man, who shifted to make himself more comfortable. He wasn't exactly sure why he had conceded to let Moses stay in his bed, and, apparently, neither was Moses by the way the bandit was staying thoughtfully silent. After a few minutes, Moses began squirming around, making the bed creak.

Jay's eyebrow twitched as he kept his eyes closed, but the bandit didn't stop, and jumped as thunder roared brutally outside the safety of the inn. Arms latched around his small frame again, tugging him back against a bare chest tightly, and the boy grumbled in irritation to himself. "_What_ did I say about clinging to me?" he asked tartly, keeping his voice quiet in order not to wake Will or Senel.

"Sorry, Jay, but…lemme stay like this, alright? It's okay because I'm your older brother, ain't it?"

Jay didn't bother to point out to the bandit that they weren't _actually_ related by blood, and merely closed his eyes in annoyance. "Hmpth. Just this once," he growled, and was again struck by how easily he gave defeat and wondered why, "and no mentioning this to anyone. _Ever_, if you want to keep certain _significant_ body par—"

"I get it, Jay. No tellin' anyone, I promise," Moses vowed fiercely, his nose pressed against the boys' soft, dark hair, loose at night, hands smoothing over the front of the boys' nightshirt, an action to try and reassure himself. It made Jay shiver for some reason, before he clamped his eyes shut and told himself not to be stupid, this was Moses, the big stupid bandit who he quarreled and bickered with on a daily basis. "G'night."

"...good night, Moses," the pale-skinned boy replied after a pause. Moses rumbled sleepily and tucked his face into the back of Jay's neck, closing his eyes and relaxing his hold just slightly. The former assassin could feel his eyelids flutter closed, and in a matter of moments, he was breathing deeply in sleep. Sighing, Jay tried to get to sleep as well, feeling surprisingly safe.

_Fin._


	2. II tawny

**Obsidian**  
_This chapter is grouped together with the previous one; sable_  
**Disclaimer:** Me no own. Me want to. But me don't.

* * *

**II. tawny**

Jay, to say the least, felt rather ashamed with himself. Contrary to any hopes their group may have had, the thunderstorm had continued into the next day, become so fierce it screamed and lashed at the sides of the inn, rain beating against the hard brick. Will woke up, took one glance out the window, sighed and announced, "I'm going to go get something to eat. We can't leave, nor can we search for that monster today," to the males in the room. Before Senel or Will had a chance to wake up that morning, Jay slipped out of Moses' rather tight hold on his body, and climbed into the bandits' bed, as not to give any impressions he wouldn't have wanted to. Now, _that_ wasn't what he felt ashamed about.

What he felt ashamed about was that he was stuck in an empty room with Moses, who was wide-awake, occasionally flinching at the thunder outside, and he could work up no words to speak to him, as if he was _embarrassed_! Of all the things. They were all alone, as Senel had gone to rouse the girls and tell them of the plan for the day. And the bandit was looking at Jay from his bed with a half-bemused, half-grateful look on his face as the boy started up a fire in the hearth. "Hey, Jay," Moses called over to him, as if intending to say something else. Jay could guess what he was going to say, and quickly cut him off.

"Didn't I tell you not to mention it? Stupid bandit," Jay said with a little snort of disdain as he lit up the wheat under the logs of wood. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the man's red hair beginning to bristle like an agitated cats' fur. He had to push down an amused smile at the mental image that brought.

"Hey, I was just tryin' to thank ya! And I ain't stupid," Moses said, thumping his fist against the mattress under him so hard it rattled. He calmed himself enough to speak a question, "But…I wanna know, why'd you let me? I mean…"

"I just didn't want you bothering me, and I didn't want to wake up anyone by trying to get you to go back to your own bed," Jay whipped up the excuse and was quite pleased with himself for how convincing it sounded. Moses blinked, grinned, and placed his palms on his knees, gazing at the dark-haired boy with a half-tilted head, and he turned away from the fire, annoyed. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Nothin', Jay. Nothin' at all," the bandit declared, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and standing up, waltzing over his bed—which really hadn't been used at all—to pick up his gear. "But thanks anyway, little brother!"

"I told you not to mention…it…" Before he could finish his enraged sentence, Moses was gone, walking from the room with a grin on his face. Jay scowled as the door shut behind him and sat down heavily in front of the fire. "…hm. Why did I…?" He pulled his knees up to his chest, hooked his arms around his legs, and gazed into the crackling, burning flames.

In all actuality, Jay wasn't exactly sure of the reason he had let the bandit sleep in his bed. Pity? No, not particularly. Maybe it was because he was half-asleep and wasn't thinking properly. Oh, well, no point in dwelling on it now. It wasn't like it was going to happen again, or anything. Standing up, he pulled on his clothes and exited the room, bumping into Senel.

"Hey, do you know why Moses is in such a good mood today?" he asked Jay with a puzzled look on his face. "I mean, normally he's pretty cheerful—"

"Stupid," corrected Jay, which Senel ignored.

"But today he's especially in a good mood. Do you happen to know why?"

"No. Why are you asking me? You know how that stupid bandit and I argue all the time."

"Yes, but you know more about him than anyone else," Senel replied without missing a beat. "You two are the best of friends, I can tell." Jay faltered, and for some reason lost to him, blushed hard, the color burning in his pale cheeks.

"…Nonsense," Jay replied quickly, and bypassed the faintly smiling white-haired boy, tromping down the stairs to the bottom floor of the inn. Norma greeted him enthusiastically from where they were eating breakfast, waving her arm around in the air.

"Hiya, JJ! We were just about to come and get you, but I guess you smelled the food," she said, grinning and digging into a plate of eggs set in front of her. Moses grinned as well, and beckoned for the boy to sit next to him, patting the seat there invitingly. Rolling his violet eyes, Jay walked over and sat down.

"Now, be sure to eat all your food," lectured Moses immediately, piling food on a plate for him. "Or else ya won't grow big and strong."

"Stop coddling me," Jay grunted, "I'm not a child, you know."

"Of course you ain't, Jay!" Getting the distinct feeling he was being teased, he narrowed his eyes at Moses before picking up a fork to eat the food. Grune was smiling from where she was sitting next to Norma, and Jay glanced around, noting that Shirley, Chloe, Senel and Will were absent.

"Where's everyone else?" he asked after chewing up his food and taking a drink from the glass of water handed to him from Moses.

"C and Shirl got up extra early," Norma said, emphasizing 'extra' with a dramatic waving of one of her arms, "so Teach let them go with him to look around the town. He's gone all obsessive on us—he wants to go find that monster _real_ bad, but he can't because it's still storming."

Moses shivered, and grinned nervously. "Still stormin'? When's it gonna let up?" he asked, edgily, and Jay looked over at him with narrowed eyes before polishing off the rest of the food on his plate. Moses beamed at him. "Good job, Jay!"

Jay merely gave him his most withering look, gulping down the rest of his water before standing up. "I think I'm going to go look around town as well," he announced.

"Well, JJ, we can come with you!" Norma exclaimed. "I'm all done, anyway!" She stood up, and Grune stood as well, smiling serenely.

"Oh, my, it sounds like fun."

"Yeehaw! We're explorin' this place!" Moses exclaimed, pumping his fist into the air.

"You sure you'll be alright, Moses? After all, it's still storming outside," Jay said with a barely noticeably smile on his face. Moses seemed to pale slightly, before keeping up his 'manly' front in front of Norma and Grune.

"I ain't afraid of no thunder!" said the bandit confidently.

'_And that's exactly why you were clinging to me all last night during the thunderstorm?'_ Jay thought, but didn't voice it aloud. He sighed. "Come on, let's go. And Norma, grab some umbrellas from the stand upstairs."

"Right away, JJ! C'mon, G-Girl!" Norma hop-skipped up the stairs, Grune following at a slower pace, smiling all the while.

Once they were out of hearing range, Moses turned to Jay with a grin. "Thanks for not sayin' anything about, well…you know," he said.

"Saying anything about what?" Jay asked calmly, and the bandit appeared surprised for a minute before his face dissolved into a soft smile that made the information specialist look down at the floor quickly. "Stop looking at me like that."

"Sorry," Moses said, grinning stupidly as if intensely pleased about something, and Jay wrinkled his nose at him.

"Alright, JJ! Here are the umbrellas—let's get going!"

* * *

Their trip had been almost…fun, and there hadn't been any thunder or lightning outside. He and Moses hadn't really bickered along the way, surprising Norma, but she grinned a few times, as if planning something. They had spent a good few hours wandering around the cozy little town, looking at street vendors' wares, and peeking in shop windows at weapons. They had ran into Senel, Will, Shirley and Chloe near the village plaza, all of whom were surprised to see Moses and Jay walking side-by-side and not arguing. Just for the sake of it, the two of them had engaged in a friendly squabble on the way back to the inn. It was beginning to get more stormy overhead as they entered the inn, shaking water from their clothes. 

"Ahh!" Moses groaned, stretching his arms over his head as they walked upstairs to their rooms. "That was great—we gotta do that more often!" He fixed Jay with a mischievous look. "You should come live with me and my boys for a while, Jay. See how you'd like livin' like your big brother!" He thumped his chest proudly.

"I'd rather not—I like the way I live just fine, thanks, and I'd prefer not to sleep in a place that smells like a barn," Jay retorted, easily falling back into the old tradition of arguing.

"It don't smell like no barn! Me and the boys keep it real clean and fresh!" Moses protested, spreading his arms apart. "And I bet livin' in a place that smells like scallops ain't that great all the time!" Jay took a moment to think on this—it really _did_ smell like scallops in Quppo's house, but he'd rather eat a wagonload of scallops before admitting that to Moses.

"Hmpth, we'll see if it smells like a barn or not in your camp."

"So it's decided! You're gonna come stay for a while!" Moses exclaimed, and the small boy spluttered.

"What, I didn't—"

"Ya just did," Moses cut him off with a grin. Norma laughed from behind them, and even the rest of the group gave small chuckles of appreciation.

"Red's got you there, JJ! Might as well just give up and give him his way!"

"Stupid bandit," Jay muttered under his breath, but it was half-hearted. He was a little curious to see what it would be like sleeping in one of the bandit's tents for a while.

* * *

That night, Jay lay in his own bed, looking up at the ceiling as thunder boomed from outside the window and rain assaulted the roof of the building. His blankets were pulled snugly up to his chin, and once again, he found it hard to sleep. Lightning lit up the room, and in that bright light he saw Moses across the room, sitting up in his own bed and looking at him. The dark-haired boy sighed and sat up, calmly swinging his legs over the side of the bed and standing up. He was beginning to realize why he let Moses into his bed—he too sought the comfort and security that came with sleeping with someone, although he wouldn't admit it. Now he was swallowing his pride as he walked over to the red-haired man's bed, standing uncomfortably at the edge when he arrived and looking into wide, surprised eyes. 

"Move over," Jay muttered, looking away and clutching his arm with one hand. Moses grinned and did so, allowing the other to climb under the covers of his bed and stretch out there, folding his hands on his chest. Moses settled back on the pillow as well, as if reassured, and shut his eyes. A particularly loud boom of thunder made him jump and attach himself to the smaller boy, who merely shut his eyes and didn't bother to tell the bandit to let go. "…I hope you aren't planning to come to my home every time there's a thunderstorm now."

"I might," Moses said from where his head was half-way buried into Jay's neck. He rolled his violet eyes, before letting them close as exhaustion from the day's excitement swept through him. He barely heard the muttered thanks against his neck as he lost himself to the dark embrace of sleep.

He wasn't so asleep that he didn't notice, next time the thunder roared, Moses only tightened his grip a little on him.

_Fin._


	3. III sepia

**Obsidian  
Disclaimer:** I wish I did own it.

* * *

**III. sepia**

Whenever Jay would come to Werites Beacon, Moses always seemed to be there at the entrance, waiting for him, head casually tilted to the side, as if he were just out on a stroll and not actually waiting for the boy. He would roll his violet eyes good-naturedly, bypassing the bandit, who fell into step with him, and they usually arrived at Will's house deep in a heated argument. Nobody suspected a thing, though the way Norma smiled, as if she knew something they didn't, when she looked at the two of them made Jay wonder.

When they got a chance alone and Moses was sure nobody was around to interrupt them, he would pull the small boy firmly into his arms, holding him as close as possible. "I love ya, Jay," he would state firmly, his voice unwavering and his hold tight, usually looking intensely into the boys' dark eyes as he said it. Jay's pale face would always turn faintly red and he'd look down at the sepia-colored walkway with a good-natured frown, hiding his pleasure and embarrassment.

"You should be saving that love for a woman, not giving it to me," he told the redhead every time. Moses wasn't discouraged in the least and just held him all the closer, grinning. Someday, he knew, Jay would have enough courage to say 'I love you, too'. He just had to have patience!

_Fin._


	4. IV goldenrod

**Obsidian  
Disclaimer:** Do I even have to say it?  
**Set during Moses' CQ in the game—I always liked that quest. And I switched the scene at the camp around a little to suit my own happiness.  
**

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**IV. goldenrod**

Jay had never been so disappointed in Moses the entire time that he knew him. The redheaded man was standing, back to the window, arms spread akimbo as he told them of Giet, and of his desire to change things. "Turning wild is a fate stained with blood. As a beast tamer, I know this better than anyone," Moses said, making the boys' violet eyes narrow. "I've been lyin' to myself this whole time, tellin' myself we'd be okay. I just kept tellin' myself everythin' would be all right…just to keep my hands from shakin'. But deep down I knew this day would come. I knew I couldn't keep the balance of power. I can't be his playmate no more."

Jay's teeth clenched of their own accord, and his small hands clenched into fists at his sides. He was shaking with rage and bitter disappointment—the Moses he knew wouldn't give up, he'd keep fighting until the end, keep trying to protect his family, and this…this…how _dare_ he act this way! Senel opened his mouth to speak, but Jay spoke first, voice tight with held-back rage, "You certainly know how to whine loudly, you pathetic dolt. I'm embarrassed just listening to you."

Enraged, Moses whipped his head around, giving him a glare out of his one good eye, the other, scarred one half-concealed by his flyaway red hair. "What did you say?!" he snarled, taking a threatening step forward towards the smaller boy. Jay wasn't intimidated, however, and continued, his own rage well-concealed behind his normal attitude.

"I knew you were stupid, but I didn't think you were this stupid," Jay retorted without missing a beat, and the bandit seized him hard by both shoulders, shoving him against the wall. He could feel Moses' hot breath gusting over his face, and the man bared his teeth in a scowl, fingers digging into the dark fabric of shirt and pinching the skin underneath. The small strategist didn't so much as flinch—he had been expecting this reaction.

"I ain't in a good mood right now. If you start talkin' crap, I will hurt you. Bad," Moses said tensely, and the whole atmosphere in the room felt suddenly heavy with rage and apprehension. The group was looking at them with wide, stunned eyes—their arguments had never lead to a physical fight before, and Senel silently wondered what Jay was doing.

All of a sudden, Jay let out a laugh that sounded bitter to even his own ears and ended as harshly as it began. "Oh please. I'd get bored fighting such a crybaby like you," he replied, acid in his voice, the disappointment so obvious in his eyes it was searing. Moses, however, wasn't paying attention to his gaze, and lifted a tightly clenched fist as if to strike him.

"All right, let's go!" he snarled, before Will's voice cut in.

"Cut it out, you two."

Moses immediately released the suddenly silent Jay, who was looking down and to the side, scolding himself for speaking so rashly, and turned to his friends. '_I don't count for anything, do I? I can't believe I spoke like that, but…I just couldn't stop myself. Moses is…acting so different. I've never been so ashamed of him. I couldn't…I can't say the things they are saying,'_ Jay thought, glancing to the group, who were doing a much better job of convincing Moses of his faults, without making him angry. '_I can't convince him like that. Things aren't the same between us—we're hardly even friends, I don't have a right to speak so calmly, and…I still feel so…angry…'_

Suddenly, his thoughts and Shirley's confident voice was cut off from a howl from outside, and everyone looked at the window, save for Jay. He was gazing hard at the floor, drowning in thought.

"That howl…was that?..." Norma started, her voice worried.

"No question. That's Giet!"

Another howl run out, bloodcurdling and vicious, and Moses seemed to tense.

"It sounds as if it's coming from close by," Shirley said, worriedly.

Moses drew in breath sharply, his eyes widening, but the boy still leaning hard against the wall didn't so much as look up. "It's coming from the camp! My boys!"

"Let's hurry!" Senel said, waving at them all quickly to leave the room. They all did, and in their haste, left Jay leaning there against the wall, his head tilted back and his eyes on the ceiling, a rueful smile on his lips before he let his eyes drift shut, walking over the window and opening it. He leapt from it, to join his friends where they were running down the road, his ponytail flying back in the gust of wind.

'_Truly…I'm the stupid one.'  
_

* * *

"I'm gonna kill Giet." 

They had arrived in camp to find the bandits injured, Csaba being the one who told Moses of Giet's attack on the bandits. They were all suitably surprised and horrified, except for Jay, who had suspected this from the very beginning. But…why now? It was terribly suspicious. Now, after they had carried the bandits into the tents and bandaged their wounds, they all sat around a fire, except for Jay, who was leaning against one of the barricades set periodically around the camp a little ways away from the group. Everyone looked up with surprise when Moses spoke, except for the dark-haired boy, who was thinking hard.

"What the? What are you saying?!" Norma exclaimed, leaping to her feet. She froze at Moses' silence. "W…wait, you're serious?"

'_Everything's so wrong…why is Giet going wild? This isn't right—Moses and he are still of the same strengths…'_

"Can you really do it?" Senel asked, standing up as well, a frown on his face.

'_Something must be causing this. But what?'_

"It's not a matter of can or can't. I will!" Moses said with determination, and even a little bit of pain etched on his face.

"Is that really acceptable to you, Sandor?" Chloe spoke up, the knight's face grim; her eyes narrowed just the slightest bit. Jay didn't lift his head, but his eyes seemed to clear and he glanced upwards, at the bandit, who was clenching his fists tightly.

"If someone's gonna take him down, then it's gonna be me," Moses stated firmly.

"B…but, still, killing Giet…" Norma stammered.

"Are you sure that's how you want this to end?" Senel questioned grimly.

"You're worried about me, Senel? Hell must've frozen over," Moses said with a laugh, moving his arms behind his back, and Jay felt a tight constricting of his throat, rage starting up inside him again, though he masked it by looking down at the ground.

"That's enough! Stop trying to hide your feelings with jokes," Senel snapped.

Finally, Jay spoke up, his voice low and gaze focused on the ground, "There's a time and a place for saying stupid things, and this isn't it."

"Then what? You want me to say I can't kill Giet?!" Moses asked, enraged, and Jay noticed quietly that he only seemed to get angry whenever _he_ spoke. "You want me to get down on my knees and beg everybody not to kill him? I can't take it anymore! I've thought about this as hard as I can! I can't forgive him! There's no way I can forgive Giet! I can never forgive him for what he went and did. He hurt Senel. And look at what he did to Csaba and my boys! I can't keep makin' excuses. If Giet's gonna turn against his own family, then I ain't gonna show him any mercy, either."

Senel exhaled, looking at the angry bandit, who was panting and giving Jay the hardest look he could, but the pale boy didn't do so much as look up. "Giet's been your family since way back, hasn't he? You've always been together, right?" he asked.

"Senel, that ain't how it works. There ain't no past or present with family. New or old, family is family. I got something to ask of you." Here Moses paused, as if he were considering something. "I'm embarrassed to say this, but I can't take Giet on alone. Please…help me take him down." With that, the bandit quickly bent his body, bowing to them in a surprising gesture.

"Moses," Senel sighed.

"I'm swallowin' my pride and askin' you for this one thing. Please!" Moses said. "There's no one else I can ask."

'…_there are plenty of people you can ask who will do it without a second thought.'_

"Moses, look at me," Senel said, raking his hand through his white hair, and the man looked up at him slightly. "You don't have to beg like that when asking for help from family." At Moses sharp breath of surprise, he continued, "I'll help. But, I'm only doing this to save Giet."

Moses paused, before a grateful grin lit up his face. "…I understand. That's plenty," he said, and everyone looked up as Jay pushed himself off the barricade, his arms folded tightly across his chest. Moses blinked in surprise at him—this was the first he moved since they had started talking.

"Well," he said, his rage calmed and his voice as level as always, "it seems we've reached a conclusion, so I'm going to go investigate Giet's whereabouts." To Jay's surprise, Moses stepped forward, spreading his arms apart, grinning warmly.

"Thanks, Jay, I'm countin' on you," he said, moving to hug the small boy. Shell-shocked, Jay was frozen and couldn't pull away as he was bundled up against a firm chest, one arm wrapped tight around his small frame, the other hand resting on top of his head, stroking the dark hair there gently. Jay could feel his face getting hot and an unwanted tingling sensation starting up in his stomach.

"Stop that. You're making me ill," Jay spluttered, pushing the red-haired man away quickly and taking a few quick steps back so nobody could see his no doubt burning red face by the firelight.

"What is it with you?" Moses asked impatiently, gesturing for Jay to come closer so he could hug him again. Will sighed, and rubbed his forehead.

"This isn't the time, you two," he reprimanded sternly.

Norma laughed and swung her arms by her sides. "I don't know, I think it's nice to see them back to normal!" she said.

Grune smiled warmly, her hands folded in her lap. "Oh, yes, I like it better this way, too," she agreed dreamily.

"When I've learned something, I'll let you know. Until then, please get some rest," Jay said, interjecting before anyone could say anything else and turning on his heel. He took a few quick steps forward, paused, and smiled secretly to himself. "We've still got plenty of work ahead of us."

'_Don't waver, Moses. Keep looking forward, and don't worry, I'm here to help you, whether you want it or not,'_ he thought as he sprinted into the night.

_Fin._


	5. V teal

**Obsidian  
Disclaimer: **Not mine.  
**Takes place after the end of the game  
Warning:** A little bit of stuff

* * *

**V. **teal 

"A circus?" Jay's deep violet eyes were filled with child-like curiosity as they all sat around the living room of Will's house. 'They' included himself, Moses, Chloe, Norma, Shirley, Senel and Will. The man nodded and Harriet, hovering behind his chair, beamed widely, in excitement.

"Yes. Apparently, as Harriet heard, they are coming here sometime late this evening," Will said. "They're a famous traveling troupe, and it's unusual for them to come to the Legacy—as they usually stay on the mainland—but it's supposed to be quite the show. And it's free of charge, as well. I heard that Her Excellency speaks quite highly of it."

"All right!" Norma exclaimed. "We're definitely going, then! I want to see the acrobats, the trapeze artists, oh, and the clowns, too!"

"Clowns, hm? I have a feeling Moses would fit right in with the circus," Jay commented off-handedly, showing one of his self-satisfied little smiles to the red-haired bandit seated next to him. Said man scowled only briefly, before reaching over and hooking an arm tightly around his shoulders, yanking him close.

"Jay, why don't you come with me as my date?" Moses said with a faintly teasing note in his voice. "We can dress ya up right pretty and let your hair down. And I'm sure Norma could find a dress for ya, couldn't ya, Bubbles?" The brunette's face lit up with a grin so wide that it nearly blinded half of the inhabitants of the room, and made Jay fear for his life, and his sanity.

"W…why are you looking at me like that?" he asked edgily as the girls began looking at him thoughtfully, Norma (the leader) grinning broadly.

"Now, I know what you're thinking, you three," Will said, making all three pairs of eyes turn to him, "but no, you aren't dressing Jay up as a girl just for your and Moses' own enjoyment." At that, the dark-haired boy sagged a little in relief, and pushed Moses' arm off him.

"Aw, Teach, you're no fun," Norma sighed. "But Red's got the right idea—we gotta dress up!"

"Dress…up?" Chloe said slowly. "I'm not so certain if I want—"

"C'mon, C! A little fun never killed ya!"

"It has yet to happen, but with Norma, I do wonder," Will put in, and the girl stamped her feet, swinging her arms around in outrage. Jay smiled in amusement, not even noticing the arm that slyly snuck its way around his shoulders again.

"T-_eeeeach_! Stop picking on me!"

"Oh, I'm not. I'm just thinking aloud."

"Liar!"

* * *

Norma managed to coerce the rest of the group into dressing up, and luckily Jay managed to get away with something a little different than his regular clothes in place of a dress (which Norma and Moses had been strongly advising he wear). He looked at himself skeptically in Will's bathroom mirror and tugged on the front of his buttoned-up white shirt, before glancing down at the dark blue pants Norma had picked out for him. He had plaintively refused the purple. Feeling naked without his neckpiece, Jay fixed his usual side-ponytail before exiting the bathroom. 

"Well, well, Jay! Lookin' good!" Moses whistled from the other end of the hall, where he had just come out of Will's room, obviously changing. He too was wearing a buttoned-up shirt, though he hadn't bothered to button it up and was wearing a maroon jacket over it. The ends of his black pants brushed his ankles as he walked towards the boy confidently.

"I'm sorry that I can't say the same, Moses," Jay sighed, spreading apart his hands and shaking his head. "No matter what you wear, you still look like a stupid bandit to me."

Moses grumbled good-naturedly, and wrapped an arm firmly around the boys' shoulders. Upon seeing Jay's brow wrinkle in confusion, he grinned. "You're still gonna be my date tonight, Jay. I don't want a pretty little thang like you goin' all by your lonesome."

"'Pretty'?" Jay asked sourly, not really attempting to shrug the bandit's arm off. "I'm not a girl, Moses."

"Yeah, but you're pretty like one, so tonight, you're a girl!"

"Oh, bother…"

"Ooh, what's this? JJ and Red, going on a date?" Norma cackled as she sprang from Harriet's room. Her hair was curled at the ends so that it brushed against her cheeks, and her normal garb had been replaced with a yellow tank top, and a pair of jeans. "Hee hee, JJ, you can't deny that you two are together now!"

"If I don't go with him, this stupid idiot will never shut up about it, Norma," Jay reprimanded her, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"_Sure_, JJ, whatever you say," she proclaimed, flapping her hand back and forth and the boy wrinkled his nose at her in annoyance. "Go on ahead, JJ, Red, have a date—all of us will catch up with you later." Norma grinned and rocked back and forth on her heels. "And no getting naughty in the circus tent!"

"We most certainly will not be 'getting naughty' tonight," Jay said, rolling his eyes.

"Aw, man," Moses groaned in disappointment, which quickly transformed into a yelp of pain as the boy jabbed his elbow into his ribs. "Hey! What was that for, Jay? I didn't do nothin'!"

"Of course you didn't. Stupid bandit." The insult was lacking its usual bite, though, and Jay scoffed quietly to himself, descending the stairs and leaving Will's house.

"H-hey! Jay! Wait for me! I ain't got my shoes on yet!"

* * *

Moses had blatantly insisted on keeping his arm wrapped around Jay's shoulders during the entire trip to where the circus tents were, light blazing brightly from the attraction. When they entered, the younger boys' eyes lit up with excitement as he looked up at the huge circus tent, striped white and red with a banner flapping up top in the faint night breeze. 

"Never been to a circus before, Jay?" Moses asked, and the strategist shook his head. "I'm sure you'll love it! It's gonna be nothin' like anythin' you've ever seen before!" The young boy wrinkled his brow skeptically, but shrugged and followed his red-haired companion inside the large tent. Said bandit whistled softly in amazement upon seeing all the people. "We're gonna have a hard time findin' a seat, Jay."

"It looks like even people from the mainland are here, not to mention the whole population of Werites Beacon," Jay commented, looking around with slightly widened eyes. Moses grabbed his hand, leading him up a flight of stairs and into the stands set up. Jay spotted Norma and the others seated near the top, and pointed. "There, Moses."

"Oh, hey, guys! How's your date so far?" Norma asked, waving her arm back and forth and causing numerous people to stare.

"It's not a date," Jay growled at the exact same time Moses said, "It's goin' great."

"Well, take a seat," Will told them, ignoring Norma, who had begun to ask frantically what they had done so far. "The show is about to start." Jay looked skeptically at the row his friends were sitting in, which appeared quite full. "Ah, that's right…we only managed to save one."

"That's alright!" Moses exclaimed, sitting down in the seat next to Norma. When Jay leveled a dark glare on him, the bandit grabbed him firmly around the waist, pulling him to sit in his lap.

"H-hey! What the hell are you doing?! I can go find a seat somewhere else!" Jay protested loudly, squirming around, which only made the redhead's mouth twitch down in discomfort. "Let me go, Moses!"

"No way!" the man protested. "There ain't any more seats in this tent. So you're gonna sit right here on my lap, and you're not gonna be squirmin' around anymore!" Jay scowled, folded his arms over his chest, but didn't have anything else to say, as Norma grinned at the dark-haired boy slyly.

"Might as well get comfy, JJ!" she sang. "This show's gonna be a few hours long!"

'_A few hours sitting in Moses' lap?!__Oh, Nerifes help me…'_

As the show started, Jay wriggled around, trying to find a more comfortable place to sit, and Moses tightened his grip on the small boys' waist. "Don't be movin' around like that, Jay," he said quietly into the strategist's ear. "Just pay attention to the show."

"I know that," Jay hissed back, ignoring the way the bandit's breath curled hotly over his earlobe and he had to repress a shiver. He focused his dark violet eyes down on the performance ring, where the circus members were walking out, amidst cheers.

Halfway through the show, when the fire-juggler was performing, Moses began to become restless. Jay half-turned his head, but didn't fully look at him as the man shifted slightly underneath him, hands pressing slightly into the boys' stomach. Jay almost jumped as he felt the bottom button on his shirt being opened.

"M…Moses?" he said nervously, as the tanned fingers made their way to the next button.

"Shh, Jay," Moses replied quietly, resting his chin against the shoulder in front of him. "Just lemme do this. I ain't gonna hurt you." Pulling down the white collar of Jay's shirt, he laid a kiss against the side of his neck.

"Moses! Everyone's sitting right next to us!" Jay hissed urgently under his breath at him, but the bandit didn't seem to care as he opened the next button. "Stop it!" At that the man paused, his fingers just beginning to touch the pale skin of the boys' stomach.

"Ah, but, Jay…" he started.

"No, Moses!"

For a long pause, Moses was silent, and the two looked hard at one another. When it was obvious the bandit wasn't going to stop, even if they _were_ in the middle of a crowded circus tent, Jay exhaled heavily and shook his head in exasperation.

"If you behave during the show, I'll stay the night at your camp. How about that?" Jay offered, and regretted it as soon as a grin spread over the man's tanned face.

"All right, Jay," he agreed, and deftly did the buttons on Jay's shirt back up, propping his chin on his shoulder to watch the show. Sighing, the former assassin leant back against the warm chest and did the same.

* * *

"That was so cool!" Norma said as they exited the tent. "Especially the way that guy swallowed all those swords!" Her eyes glimmered and a grin spread over her face as she spotted a stand set up nearby. "Let's get some cotton candy before we go!" 

"No sugar for you, though, Harriet," Will told his daughter when she suddenly seemed excited. "It's almost time for you to go to bed."

"Aw, but Dad…"

"No."

"How about you, JJ, Red? You gonna stick around for cotton candy?" Norma asked, rounding on the two of them.

"I'm afraid not," Jay sighed, remembering his promise. "We're going back to camp." Moses grinned so wide it nearly split his face and he wrapped an arm tightly around the smaller boy. Jay gave him an annoyed glare.

"…wait. You said 'we', didn't you, JJ?" Norma questioned, before beginning to hop and down excitedly. "I get it! You two are gonna get all hot and heavy back at Red's tent!"

Will bonked her over the head, frowning petulantly at her. "Don't say those things when Harriet is around," he scolded, and the brunette looked properly annoyed at the older man.

"Hattie doesn't know what I'm talking about!" she protested.

"I do too," growled Harriet, narrowing her eyes.

"Despicable, Norma," sighed Chloe.

Will bonked Norma over the head again, his frown transforming into a scowl. Jay took the opportunity while the group was properly distracted to tug on Moses' hand, leading him quietly away, no doubt heading toward the bandit's camp. Norma spotted this and waved an arm in the air, yelling, "Don't work him too hard, Red!" She was victim to another sound bonk over the skull.

Fortunately, she didn't miss what Moses yelled back, "Don't worry! I won't!" He was promptly smacked over the head courtesy of Jay's hand.

_Fin._


	6. VI cyan

**Obsidian  
Setting:** Hmm. Before the game begins—around when the pillar of light appears. This is Moses and Jay's first meeting—'cause I doubt they could have lived on the Legacy that long and never run into each other  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own.

* * *

**VI. cyan**

Jay was a glutton for knowledge. He couldn't stand to have a thing he didn't know about. So, when his Oresoren friends told him of a group of bandits making residence beyond the Misty Mountains, he just had to satisfy his natural curiosity. When he arrived, he found it was larger and more maze-like than he had figured it would be, for a group of supposedly simple-minded barbarians. He walked silently down one of the hallways in the hideout, his dark violet eyes flitting two and fro.

He was surprised when he didn't sense the red-haired man who walked up behind him, a grand galf by his side, and whipped around in surprise, his ponytail swaying. The bandit gave him a scrutinizing look out of one eye. "And who might you be, kid? Did ya get lost or somethin'?" he asked, and Jay realized that he thought that he was a mere child (perhaps because of his small stature and big, dark violet eyes?).

Deciding to play along, he put on his best shy look. "Y…yes. I was walking along a path, and I saw this building, and I thought someone would be able to help me here," Jay replied in the timid voice of a child, his head bowed and his eyes glinting shrewdly.

"Well…don't you worry! Moses Sandor is here to help ya!" declared the redhead, thumping his chest proudly with a closed fist.

'_Moses Sandor? …This idiot is the leader of the bandits?'_ Jay wondered. All of a sudden the grand galf stepped forward; sniffing at the small boy suspiciously and making him take a few hasty steps back, in fear of being bitten. He had had many a run-in with galves before, none of them particularly good.

"Giet, stop scarin' him!" Moses scolded the galf. "Don't worry, kid, Giet ain't gonna hurt ya." As if to support that, the galf whined and sat down on his haunches, wagging his tail back and forth and gazing at Jay steadily. "What's your name?"

"…it's Jay," supplied the boy at last, seeing no real harm in giving his name.

"Right, then—Jay! C'mon, you can come upstairs with me! You look like yer dead on yer feet. I'll get ya somethin' to eat."

Jay paused for a moment, considering. He _had_ missed breakfast that morning with the Oresoren in his hurry to get to this camp. But the offer made him feel a funny sensation right in the pit of his stomach. "Well…I…"

"C'mon!" Without giving him a chance to respond or protest, Moses seized him by the wrist and half-pulled, half-dragged him to the duct that led to the top floor of the bandits' hideout. "I don't normally get guests. You can have somethin' to eat, and we can chat for a while. I mean, your parents ain't lookin' for ya, are they?"

At this, Jay's head lowered slightly. Memories of his past, Solon, his bell that was taken away from him, came flooding back with the man's supposedly innocent inquiry. "…No, they aren't," he found himself saying without even realizing it. "I don't have any."

Moses' wide-eyed look spoke volumes as he stopped outside the door that was most likely his room. "…Don't have none?" he asked, and his voice was unusually kind. "Why's that?" But instead of receiving a response, the small boy, who had realized what he had been saying, merely shook his head. "Ah, well, ya don't have to tell me if ya don't want to." He opened the door to a rather lavish room—one wall piled with bottles of alcohol—with many animal pelts hung up on the walls.

Jay looked around with curiosity for a bed, but saw none, just a slightly raised floor with a thick, fluffy rug thrown over it. "Is this where you sleep?" he asked as Giet brushed past him to curl himself up on the rug.

"That's right!" Moses declared, rooting in the corner for something. Jay took an uncertain seat on the edge of the raised floor, wondering how his search for information had brought him to talking with a bandit. "Me and Giet sleep in here." He pulled out a small plate of food from somewhere, and walked over, setting it on Jay's lap.

"You two…are close?" Jay asked, looking down at the plate and picking up a piece of soft, yellow cheese to take a bite from it slowly.

"O'course! Me and Giet, we got a real strong bond," Moses announced, and the galf yawned in agreement. He was watching Jay like a hawk as the boy slowly ate the food from his fingers and then licked them clean. "Where you from, Jay?"

"Ah…I live…around Werites Beacon," said the boy after a pause, finding it increasingly more difficult to lie to the red-haired man who had taken a seat next to him. He picked up a piece of steamed fish next quietly, considering as he bit into the cooked skin. Moses was just so generous, and kind, and maybe even a little stupid, but it was an endearing quality.

"All right! I'll just have to come and visit ya sometime!" Moses exclaimed, slamming his fist into his palm. "If ya ain't got no family, _I_ can be yer family!"

Guilt was beginning to swirl in Jay like a whirlpool as he gazed up at the tanned bandit, who was grinning widely, welcomingly, at him. '_I can't lie to this man…especially not after he said something like _that…' he thought. "Listen, Moses," he started, prepared to tell him all the truth—why he was here, what he was doing.

All of a sudden, a flash of light lit up the room and both of them whipped around to the huge balcony. "What the—?!" Moses gasped, staring at the huge pillar of light that had appeared. He leapt to his feet and rushed over to the balcony to stare towards it. Jay stood as well and followed the red-haired bandit, staring at the light.

"…It looks like it's coming from Raging Bay," Jay said after a pause, the legend of the Shining One flooding back into him as he gazed at the beautiful, pulsing light that seemed to move as if it were alive. "Could it be…that legend is…"

"Giet! This is the chance we've been waitin' for!" Moses howled excitedly, turning to his grand galf companion, who had also stood up. "If anyone knows where to find sacred eres, it'd be that Merines mentioned in the legends!" Giet gave an "Awoo!" of agreement.

'_He's looking for sacred eres? My, my…'_

Moses whipped around to look at Jay, grinning broadly. "Well, we got to go towards Werites Beacon now, so why don't ya come with us as far as the town?" he asked, cocking his head to the side. The pale youth paused, considering, before nodding once, and the bandit chief whooped, and crouched in front of him, back to him. "Hop on!"

"Ah, I can walk just fine—" Jay started to protest, before Moses reached back and grabbed him by the legs, hoisting him easily up on his back. He had to throw his arms around the man's broad shoulders in order to keep from falling, hands gripping his legs and keeping him in place.

"Don't ya worry! Yer as light as a feather—carryin' you is like carryin' nothin'!" the red-haired man laughed as Giet ran towards the door. "Plus, yer probably tired now from all that wanderin', and that food probably made ya tired, too." It was true—Jay _was_ feeling a bit drowsy, but it wasn't like he couldn't walk…When he voiced this to Moses, who was following after his galf companion, the bandit simply told him, "It ain't no trouble for me. Now ya just relax and I'll do the rest!"

Consenting, although grudgingly, he merely tightened his grip as Moses ran from the hideout. Before Jay had even noticed, he had dropped off to sleep, warm and lulled by the steady movements of the bandit as he ran.

When Jay awoke, it was when he was being gently placed by the fountain in the Werites Beacon plaza. He looked up with faint confusion, wondering where he was, and received a grin. "I'll see ya 'round, Jay," Moses told him, standing up from his kneeling position. "Don't forget 'bout me, alright?"

A muted nod was his only response.

The next time they met, Moses had forgotten about him completely.

_Fin._


	7. VII charcoal

**Obsidian  
Setting:** Sometime after the game. D Moses attempts to cook for Jay and fails horribly.  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own.

* * *

**VII. charcoal**

When Jay awoke to the smell of smoke, the immediate thought that rose to mind was _'the house is on fire'_ before he realized there was no immediate heat. He sat up, rubbing his eyes tiredly and casting his gaze about the room before slipping his feet from the bed. Rising and not bothering to tie his hair up, he opened his door and descended slowly down to where the kitchen was. As a rule, the Oresoren didn't cook (they had only little paws, after all, so Jay took care of most of it) but that had to be what Jay was smelling—burnt food.

His lips curled into a frown of disdain and disapproval as he saw a tall, muscular form bustling around the kitchen, whistling, and he noted the absence of the Oresoren. They must've left—or had already been gone—when the idiot in the kitchen had begun. Certainly they knew better than to let him _cook_. God, the idiot could barely keep his thoughts straight.

Slowly, as silent as a wraith, Jay slid into the kitchen and slanted his eyes into a glare, aiming them at the back of the bandit's head, as if hoping he could feel the waves of anger flowing from his body. A heavy cloud of smoke was puffing from a—now useless—frying pan, containing some blackened mass that might've been eggs at one point in time.

"Moses," he began slowly, voice scathing, "what do you think you're doing?"

The muscles of Moses' shoulders jumped for a moment, and Jay's gaze lingered a bit too long before he snapped out of it as the man turned around. A grin appeared on his tan face, and he gestured to the frying pan with some degree of pride. "Makin' ya breakfast," he declared.

Jay was, for a moment, almost touched by the gesture, before reprimanding himself mentally. _'Don't let him see that he's growing on you,'_ he scolded himself. Of course, they had done numerous things that might've given Moses the indication that Jay actually liked him, but Jay was hoping he hadn't noticed. He _was_ stupid, after all.

"Making me breakfast or trying to poison me with charcoal that used to be food at some point?" he quipped.

Moses growled good-naturedly and rolled his eye, the other covered by its usual patch. "Ya _should_ be thankin' me, Jay. That's what yer supposed t'do when someone does somethin' fer ya," he said, spreading his arms akimbo, and Jay's lips twitched.

"Eyes on the oven. You're going to burn the house down," Jay said by way of response and Moses turned hurriedly back to his 'creation'. He yanked it off the damper and quickly turned it off, grinning to himself, as if proud. "I'm surprised you even managed to operate the oven and crack the eggs. Seeing the result, though…" His eyes narrowed.

"It's not bad," Moses protested weakly, eye lingering on the burnt black glob in the pan. "I'm sure if ya scrape off th' burnt parts…"

"The entirety of it is a _burnt part_," the boy said, folding his pale arms over his chest. "You try to feed that to me, and I'll feed you one of my knives." He reached down automatically for one, before remembering he was wearing his dark flannel nightclothes and grudgingly stuck his hand into his pocket instead, trying to cover up his mistake. Moses, as usual, didn't notice.

"Well…I could try makin' somethin' else," Moses said thoughtfully as he carried the frying pan over to the trash and proceeded to scrape away the stuff inside to where it rightfully belonged.

"Oh no. Sit down. I'm not having you destroying every last piece of good food in this house," Jay snipped, walking over and snatching the pan from his grasp.

"But, Ja-aaay," Moses began with a whine.

"No. Sit down," Jay said, narrowing his eyes as if daring him to refuse. Grudgingly, the bandit sunk down into a seat and folded his arms over his chest, a petulant, childish look on his face. It was as if he were just scolded. Rolling his eyes good-naturedly, Jay pulled some fresh food from the cooler and began to cook. He was well aware of Moses' eye following him as he cracked some fresh eggs into the pan, frowning slightly.

"What are you looking at? Keep your eyes to yourself, bandit," Jay griped.

Moses' lips curled into a slow grin—Jay could feel the burn of his gaze all the way down his body and had to repress a shiver at the familiar feeling. A glance back showed his gaze glimmering with something vaguely feral. "Ya'd make a great wife, Jay," he said slowly.

A simmer of irritation and anger started up in the boys' stomach and his lips curled into a scowl as he administered his fiercest glare on the man. "_Excuse_ me?" he snapped.

Moses seemed not to notice the danger he was putting himself in, and continued. "I was jus' thinkin' of ya an' me, livin' somewhere together with ya takin' care of me…cookin' an' cleanin'…" Jay could see where this was going, and his scowl deepened.

"On no accounts will I _ever_ become your maid, or wife, or _whatever_," he sniped, flipping the eggs in the pan as they sizzled away, looking much better than Moses' did. He heard a creak from behind him as he focused his attentions on the food, and felt body heat as the bandit stood behind him.

"Never?" Moses asked slowly, his arms creeping around Jay's middle as he nudged his face into the dark, soft hair. "Even if I asked real nice? Proposed?"

"Why would _I_ be the wife?" Jay growled, though he couldn't push down the feeling of heat that welled up in him from the closeness of Moses' body. A rumble rippled through Moses' chest, and arms tightened around his middle.

"Why _wouldn't_ ya? I mean, yer already…"

"Finish that sentence and I'll kill you with this frying pan," Jay snapped. His fingers tightened around it for emphasis, and Moses laughed, drawing away slowly.

"Alrigh', alrigh'," he said, sinking down into his seat.

His gaze lingered though, Jay felt that, but he busied himself with the eggs.

"Hey, Jay…"

Jay didn't turn as he turned off the oven and set the pan aside. Shifting, he leant up to get some plates. "What is it?"

"Marry me."

* * *

**Fin**


	8. VIII orchid

_**Orchid**_  
Setting: Sometime after the game, and the Character Quests.

* * *

"Picnic time!" Norma sang as she bounced around enthusiastically, impatient for Will to finish unpacking the food. "Picnic tiiiiime!" She paused, grinned over at Jay, who was looking at her with a thoroughly exasperated expression. "What's wrong, JJ? Don't you love my melodic singing voice?"

"You sound like a harpy with strep throat," Jay said in a deadpan tone. He had laid out a blanket for himself and defended it fiercely from Moses, who kept trying to come over and sit next to him, presumably to try and cuddle the information specialist, who had abandoned his normal wear for a looser, more comfortable shirt and plainer pants. It was far too hot for his neckpiece and his heavy, dark clothing.

Norma stuck out her lower lip in a pout. "So mean, JJ! Shirl, comfort me!" She threw herself down overdramatically next to Shirley, who blinked in surprise before smiling and patting Norma's shoulder.

"There, there."

Jay rolled his eyes.

Will set out the food in the middle of their circle of blankets, rubbing his hands together. "Let's eat," he said, grinning around at them. Norma—miraculously cured from her misery—lunged for a sandwich, nearly colliding with Moses. Jay snuck some while they were occupied with yelling at each other ("Dammit, Red! You made me miss the good stuff!" "Ya got in _my_ way, Bubbles!") and began to chew contentedly.

The Oresoren had stayed home today, high voices raised with cheer as he mentioned the picnic. _"You'll have fun, even without us!"_ they had said brightly.

He _was_ having fun.

Jay abruptly paused as he felt something brush his arm and looked down. Moses froze with his mouth a few inches from the sandwich in Jay's hand. He promptly lifted it out of the reach of the bandit's mouth.

"What are you _doing_, you stupid bandit! Get your own food, you moocher!" Jay exclaimed as Moses grumbled, caught in the act.

"Now, Jay," Moses began seriously, and Jay sensed an imminent 'family' spiel coming on. He wasn't disappointed. "Family share with each other, no matter what. Ya gotta share with yer big brother."

"We aren't related!" Jay jumped backwards as Moses attempted a lunge at his food. "And why does it have to be _me_! Go steal food from Senel or something!" Said former Alliance Marine threw him an exasperated look, sitting on a blanket with Chloe and Shirley, who were chewing away and chatting contentedly.

"Chloe an' Shirley are guardin' him like mad dogs!" Moses whined. "An' Will'd just hit me! An' I don' want Norma's food! Probably poisoned!" Jay looked at him, annoyed, stepping back onto the grass as the bandit began to sidle in close again. "And…" He lowered his voice. "Harriet's probably added _somethin'_ to 'er food to make it nasty."

Jay paused in consideration of this little fact, before quickly shaking his head with a glare. "I don't care! This is mine!" He realized he was being silly about a sandwich, but he had gotten it _first_, what right did that stupid bandit have to try and take—

"Oof!" he huffed out as he found himself suddenly tackled by a larger, tanned, almost half-naked body. He fell back on the grass, pinned under Moses' body, a large hand resting against his chest, fingers splayed to keep him held down.

"Plus," Moses said to him in a soft voice, grinning. "Ya look so cute today, I jus' gotta torment ya." Jay made an irritated noise, trying to lift his legs to kick the bandit away, but paused when Moses' hand wandered down.

"Get off me!" Jay yelped, his pale face flushing suddenly red. He lifted a hand, smearing the sandwich over Moses' face. The man made an affronted squawk, toppling backwards as Jay wriggled to safety, panting slightly and glaring. Moses blinked and licked some of the food off his cheek.

"Hey." He brightened. "Thanks, Jay!"

Jay growled and glared.

* * *

**End.**


	9. IX amber

_**Amber**_**  
Setting**: Sometime after the main game, before Grune leaves.  
**Warning**: gratuitous amounts of pure _fluffiness_. For once, Moses not being an idiot.

* * *

When Will mentioned a ball arranged by Madam Musette to take place that very evening, Jay immediately knew he was in trouble.

Norma's eerily shining eyes—_'demon! Demon eyes!'_—rounded on him and a grin stretched over her face. She rubbed her hands together and began to laugh, high-pitched and maniacally.

Until Will bonked her over the head.

"_Owwwww_, Teaaach! That one was especially hard!" Norma whined.

Jay subtly edged towards the door.

However, Norma fixed her gaze on her prey and grinned, eagerly. "JJ~!" she sang, approaching him with wiggling fingers. Jay eyed her and gauged the trajectory he'd need to leap over her head and get to the door. He was _not_ letting her play dress-up on him, certainly not if the feeling in his stomach was right about what she wanted to dress him up _in_.

"Norma," Jay said evenly, wondering if Will would get mad if he imbedded her into the wall with his knives. "Move out of the way. I am _not_ letting you use any of your evil plots on _me_. I will not be a victim this time."

"Evil plot!" Norma exclaimed, raising her hand to her mouth, as if astonished by the accusation. "Oh, JJ! This is the _best idea ever_." She stared at him, practically leered, as she said it and Jay was positive that all the blood had just drained out of his face. He was pretty sure he looked like a ghost right now.

"Norma," Will sighed.

'_Yes! Save me!'_

"I think it'd be fun!" Shirley trilled and Jay cursed over and over in his head. Now he was _doomed_, if Shirley thought it'd be fun. "What's your idea, Norma?" Her smile was hiding her true evil intentions, Jay thought. Shirley knew _exactly_ what Norma was planning. Jay glowered. Well, he wasn't going to have it. Bunching his muscles, he made a mad bid for freedom, darting past Norma.

"JJ!"

Unfortunately for him, one particular stupid bandit had been late for the little meeting in Werites Beacon, and chose that exact moment to fling open the door. "Sorry I'm late!" Moses exclaimed, just as Jay slammed into his chest with an "oof", stumbling backwards slightly. Moses blinked down bemusedly at him, tilting his head. "Oh, hi, Jay! Ya sure are glad to see me, eh?"

"Moses, I have never asked you for anything in my entire life," Jay said as he straightened up. "But I am _begging you_, right now, to move out of the way."

"Huh?" Moses blinked.

However, those few seconds pause while the words were processing thought Moses' skull were all Norma needed. She captured Jay by the arms, laughing jovially as the boy wriggled and bit his tongue to stop himself from releasing a volley of curses. Moses cocked his head to the side, confused.

"So, what's goin' on?" Moses asked Will as Norma and Shirley, chattering cheerfully—_'she-demons!'_ Jay screamed internally—dragged the information specialist away, Grune following behind with a gentle laugh.

"There's going to be a charity ball," Will explained to him. Moses scratched his hair. "Madam Musette is throwing it to see if we can't get more tourists from the mainland interested in coming to the Legacy."

"A ball, huh," Moses said, looking after where Jay had been dragged, kicking and screaming. He scratched the back of his head.

* * *

This was ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous, and Jay was never, _ever_ going to forget this. He was going to hold a grudge for the rest of his _life_. He glared at Norma as she finished fixing his hair, the long strands falling slightly over his face, the girl cooing over how "cute" he was. He felt like a dress-up doll and vowed he'd get his revenge someway, somehow. Shirley was humming quietly behind him, looking through jewelry for something to put around his neck.

Jay had eventually stopped trying to get away because Norma threatened to tie him up and he really, _really_ didn't want that. He was forced to sit on this stupid chair, in this stupid room, while _stupid Norma_ put make-up on his face, combed his hair, and forced him into a dark dress. He had managed to convince her not to stuff padding down the front of the dress, claiming he'd just look like a very flat-chested girl. Oh, and how it had stung his pride to say it.

He glared sullenly at the wall in front of him. "I think this'd be nice!" Shirley exclaimed and walked around to show Norma the necklace of pearls. Norma grinned and flashed her a thumbs-up.

"Perfect, Shirl!" Norma took the pearls, pulling them around Jay's neck, and the boy growled a little deep in his throat, like an angry animal. "Now, now, JJ, no need of that!" She looked at him sternly. "Do we need to talk about the padding?"

Jay pursed his lips and looked down at his knees. He promptly returned his gaze to the wall, however, as he didn't like seeing his knees covered in what was undoubtedly dark, silky dress. He flexed his hands. "You aren't honestly going to make me attend that ball like this, are you?" he asked, praying and praying that maybe for once Norma would have mercy on him.

"Yup!" Norma said cheerily.

'_Dammit!'_

"Aaaaand," Norma drew out the word. Jay looked at her with growing dread, "_Red_ is gonna be your date!"

Oh, just kill him now and be done with it. _'Get me one of my knives, and I'd do it myself,'_ he thought.

* * *

The ball was being held at Madam Musette's house, where she had a large ballroom that she didn't get much opportunity to use. Norma and Shirley herded Jay along like a sheep, he managing to hide in the shadows and avoid detection like a true ninja. Plus, the streets were crowded with excited women and men in handsome suits and lovely dresses. _'I can't believe this,'_ Jay thought, rubbing his bare, pale arms self-consciously. His cheeks were burning.

"Almost there~" Norma sing-songed, and Jay wanted to chuck a rock at her.

Up ahead, he saw Madam Musette's manor and drew in on himself a little bit, walking sullenly over the grass, keeping to the shadows of the trees. Norma was on one side of him, Shirley the other with Grune walking behind them, occasionally pausing to look at something interesting. Jay thought he spotted Senel and Will, standing by the front doors, and even Harriet, and chewed the insides of his cheeks. He hated this.

Norma paused suddenly and grinned over at him. "There's Red!" she said, pointing. With the greatest reluctance he had ever known, Jay turned his head to look.

And paused.

Moses didn't look like…Moses. First of all, he was _fully clothed_, which was weird, and what made it even weirder was that he was wearing a suit. A handsome black one, with a rich red dress shirt underneath and a black tie. His gaudy eyepatch was gone, replaced with a simpler black one, and his hair was surprisingly _combed_. He was standing off on his own, out of the ways of the people crowding about. He'd fiddle with his collar occasionally, looking as uncomfortable as Jay.

No, scratch that—nobody could be more uncomfortable than Jay right now.

"Go get 'em, Tiger!" Norma crowed and gave him a push so he stumbled out of the merciful shadows into the warm yellow light streaming through the windows of Madam Musette's manor. Norma beat a hasty retreat with Shirley and Grune, the three of them chattering and laughing. Moses blinked and turned his head. Jay, hands clenched into fists, marched up to him, and stopped in front of him, looking at the ground, skin prickling as he felt Moses staring at him.

'_Go on! Say something!'_ Jay squeezed his eyes shut, feeling embarrassed and humiliated and even more so because Moses was probably going to make him feel even _worse_ with some stupid comment. _'Say something to make me feel worse than I already do, you stupid idiot bandit! Go on!'_

When a long minute that felt like an eternity passed without any stupid comment or even noise from the bandit, Jay opened his eyes slightly, looking up. Moses was looking at him with an odd, soft expression, a small smile on his face, his eyebrows raised lightly. "Hey, Jay," he said simply.

Jay looked at him, feeling puzzled and relieved all at once, and head tilting slightly. _'He's not being stupid? For once, he's not going to comment or _anything_?' _

"…Hello, Moses."

Moses' large, tanned hand reached out and suddenly enclosed his own, gripping it lightly so that the pale skin practically vanished under his calloused fingers, warm and familiar. "C'mon," he said with a flash of a grin. "Let's go somewhere else. I ain't much interested in dancin'n stuff."

Jay never would've thought the bandit could ever make him feel so relieved, and nodded mutedly in agreement. He was up to going anywhere just so long as he didn't have to parade in front of the entirety of Werites Beacon in a dress (even though they probably wouldn't know it was him, it didn't matter because _he_ knew it was him).

Moses squeezed his hand and tugged him away. Being far more considerate than Jay had ever given him credit for, he kept to the unlit walkways, walking in the direction of where the bandit's little camp was. They didn't see many people, and the ones they saw didn't see them, something for which Jay was infinitely thankful. Even when they got to the bandit's camp, the bandits themselves didn't seem to be around anywhere.

"S'good day for a bonfire," Moses told him, still holding onto his hand. Jay didn't feel the need to pull away from the warm touch—it wasn't doing any harm, after all. "I told 'em ta go set one up somewhere an' have a big ol' party."

"Oh," Jay said, following after the red-haired man. They paused next to his tent and Moses pulled the flap back slightly, grinning at him. Jay looked uncertainly back at him, raising an eyebrow.

"Ya can get changed in there; 's some shirts'n stuff inside," Moses said. Jay's frown softened slightly, not a full smile, but getting there. "I know ya gotta hate that outfit." His fingers grazed over Jay's bare shoulder. "Even if ya do look pretty."

"I'll get changed," Jay blurted, ducking into the tent and pulling the flap closed quickly. His face felt hot again and he rubbed at it with a mutter, hearing Moses' footsteps crunching away, presumably to start a fire. _'Why am I getting all flustered? That bandit…'_ He found himself smiling slightly, however, as he stripped gladly out of the dress, pulled his hair up as best he could and shrugged on one of the bandit's overlarge shirts and a pair of trousers that almost fit his small frame.

When he stepped out, Moses had already abandoned most of the suit, his hair looking messier and the eye patch left off, showing his scar. He hadn't put any of his accessories back on, lounging slightly with the familiar lower half of his usual outfit back in place, orange light flickering over the striped fur. Jay walked over to sit next to him on the log and was offered a bowl of water. He blinked down at his reflection and set to scrubbing off the stupid make-up with a vengeance.

"They shouldn'ta made ya dress up," Moses commented after a few minutes, staring into the fire that was now crackling away. Jay looked at him with surprise. He received a grin in return, the one eye shining slightly at him.

"Um." Jay looked down at his hands, pressed his palms together. "Well…" He chewed the inside of his cheek. "Thank you, Moses."

"Huh?" Moses blinked and grinned, scratching the back of his neck. "Ain't nothin'. Kinda my fault, anyway. I got ya caught earlier, after all." Jay shook his head slightly at that, feeling in a thoroughly odd, almost _happy_ mood. No. It was more than just happy—that didn't seem strong enough.

"That wasn't your fault," he said simply. "Just accept my thanks."

"'Kay," Moses said with an easy grin, looking back into the fire. Jay contented himself with doing it as well, hearing the distant music from the ball, the murmur of chatter a long way off. He looked towards the houses, their lights shining, and felt something odd and warm curling in his stomach, pale face growing a bit red, gazing at Moses' face as the amber firelight played over it.

"Moses…"

"Hm?" Moses turned his head, blinking, and his eye widened as soon as Jay leaned up to press a kiss against his mouth. It was light and brief, but painfully sweet. It was also the first kiss Jay had ever initiated with him. Moses' tanned cheeks flushed slightly, mouth falling open as the boy drew back, looking away in embarrassment.

Jay looked down at the log he was sitting on with intense interest until rough fingers turned his chin. He looked at Moses' face, at the silly grin, and snorted out a laugh, lips tugging up slightly at the corners. "Stupid," he muttered, but affectionately, shutting his eyes as a mouth closed over his.

He gladly lost himself in the warmth and the feeling as the night went on around them.

* * *

END.


End file.
